What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Earnest vs Wandering - What's the difference?

earnest | wandering |

As a proper noun earnest

is , an occasional spelling variant of ernest.

As an adjective wandering is

which wanders; travelling from place to place.

As a noun wandering is

travelling with no preset route; roaming.

As a verb wandering is

.

earnest

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) ernest, eornest, from (etyl) eornest, eornost, .

Noun

(-)
  • Gravity; serious purpose; earnestness.
  • * Sir Philip Sidney
    • Take heed that this jest do not one day turn to earnest .
  • * Shakespeare
    • given in earnest what I begged in jest
  • Seriousness; reality; actuality (as opposed to jesting or feigned appearance); fixed determination; eagerness; intentness.
    • Derived terms
    * earnestful * in earnest

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To be serious with; use in earnest.
  • * 1602 , Pastor Fido:
    • Let's prove among ourselves our armes in jest, That when we come to earnest them with men, We may them better use.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) eornest, from (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Serious in speech or action; eager; urgent; importunate; pressing; instant.
  • Ardent in the pursuit of an object; eager to obtain or do; zealous with sincerity; with hearty endeavour; heartfelt; fervent; hearty; — used in a good sense; as, earnest prayers .
  • Intent; fixed closely; as, earnest attention .
  • Possessing or characterised by seriousness; strongly bent; intent.
    • an earnest disposition
  • Strenuous; diligent.
    • earnest efforts
  • Serious; weighty; of a serious, weighty, or important nature; not trifling or feigned; important.
    • Derived terms
    * (l) * (l)

    Etymology 3

    Of uncertain origin; apparently related to (erres). Compare also (l).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sum of money paid in advance as a deposit; hence, a pledge, a guarantee, an indication of something to come.
  • * 1990 , (Peter Hopkirk), The Great Game , Folio Society 2010, p. 365:
    • But if all this was viewed by Gladstone and the Cabinet as an earnest of St Petersburg's future good intentions in Central Asia, then disillusionment was soon to follow.

    See also

    * Earnest * earnest money

    Anagrams

    * * * *

    wandering

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Which wanders; travelling from place to place.
  • (medicine, of an organ) Abnormally capable of moving in certain directions.
    • a wandering''' kidney; a '''wandering liver

    Derived terms

    (terms derived from wandering) * wandering abscess * wandering albatross * wandering cell * wandering dune * wandering Jew * wandering kidney * wandering liver * wandering mouse * wandering pacemaker * wandering sequence * wandering set * wandering spider * wandering tattler

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Travelling with no preset route; roaming.
  • Irregular turning of the eyes.
  • Aimless thought.
  • Straying from a desired path.
  • (chiefly, in the plural) Disordered speech or delirium.

    • Verb

    (head)